2020 and 2021 Rent Increases: What You Need to Know
2020 Rent Increase: 2.6% |
2021 Rent Increase: 1.4% |
2020 Rent Increases
Rent Increase Notices served in December 2019 would have had an effective date of April 1, 2020. In late March there was a Ministerial Order which delayed these increases and any future increases to the end of the Provincial State of Emergency. Through a change to the Residential Tenancy Regulations, this new effective date was changed from the end of State of Emergency to December 1, 2020.
This change means that any rent increase served and received between December 2019 and August 2020 will be effective December 1, 2020. Use the table below to determine when your rent increase is considered effective.
| Date Received | Date Effective | Maximum Increase |
| November 2019 | March 2020 | 2.6% |
| December 2019 | December 2020 | 2.6% |
| January 2020 | December 2020 | 2.6% |
| February 2020 | December 2020 | 2.6% |
| March 2020 | December 2020 | 2.6% |
| April 2020 | December 2020 | 2.6% |
| May 2020 | December 2020 | 2.6% |
| June 2020 | December 2020 | 2.6% |
| July 2020 | December 2020 | 2.6% |
| August 2020 | December 2020 | 2.6% |
| September 2020 | January 2021 | 1.4% |
| October 2020 | February 2021 | 1.4% |
Landlords who have already served a Notice of Rent Increase do not need to serve a new notice. We do recommend you communicate with your tenant regarding their rent increase to ensure they are aware the increase will be effective December 1.
2021 Rent Increase
The maximum rent increase for 2021 is 1.4%. Additionally, the normal service period of 3 clear calendar months will be in place for any increases served and received in September onward. Landlords who have a rent increase effective December 1, 2020 will now use this as their rent increase anniversary date for the 2021 increase.
Your Questions
Q: I thought I was not allowed to serve rent increases during the State of Emergency; is this true?
A: No, there was never a prohibition on serving a rent increase, but the effective date was delayed to December 1, 2020
Q: I served a rent increase in March 2020 which was supposed to be effective July 1, 2020; do I need to serve another rent increase for the December 1 effective date?
A: No, the rent increase that was served is still in place, but the effective date has been delayed to December 1, 2020. We recommend you reach out to your tenant to ensure they are aware of this change.
Q: When does notice need to be served to be effective December 1, 2020?
A: For a rent Increase to be effective for December 1, 2020 the Notice must be received by your tenant by the end of August.
Remember to always use the approved Residential Tenancy Branch Notice of Rent Increase when serving a rent increase.
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